Playtime Jubilee

Photo Credit- Brandon Tatum

A tree made of donated toys

Vibrant and unique, practical and clever and absolutely the most eclectic tree I’ve ever seen in my life, Playtime Jubilee is a colorful hodgepodge of children’s toys strategically placed into the form of a holiday tree by artist Karl Unnasch. Serving as the holiday centerpiece in the Fountain Plaza of Downtown Silver Spring (my neck of the woods), the Playtime Jubilee tree is just what the area needed to bring in the holiday season. One can’t help but stop and look in awe of the tree whether at daytime or in the evening when it glows. I was shocked that the tree appeared on NBC’s The Today Showand disappointed when they reported that many prefer a traditional tree instead of this one. Did this really make news? Yup, and I think people need to relax and enjoy the tree for the piece of art that it is. The downtown Silver Spring area has drastically changed in the past decade and I am proud to see that it is embracing the arts in a variety of ways. My only regret is that I did not have the pleasure of watching Unnasch at work putting the tree together. A personal “Thank you” to Karl Unnasch for making my family holiday photos extra special this year! If you are in the area, I highly recommend you get the kiddies together and take some pictures.

How does your community celebrate the holidays?

On September 28, 2013, I had the pleasure of discussing my upcoming book which highlights the immigrant experience at the Immigrants Contribute: America, WeSing Back! Program organized by the District of Columbia Office of Human Rights and Split This Rock.Hosted by author and performance poet Pages D. Matam, the program was the first of its kind and a success. It was an afternoon celebrating community and poetry where many poets shared the challenges and celebrated stories of the immigrant experience in DC. A resource fair was held during the event so attendees could learn more about services available to immigrants. The event closed with a reading by award-winning poet Eduardo C. Corral.

The September 11 attacks happened a little over two months before I had the honor to attend Nelson Mandela’s delivery of the Sadat Lecture for Peace at the University of Maryland College Park campus. Everyone around me seemed to hang on to every word Mandela said as we all knew we were in the presence of greatness- sharing a historical moment. Recently, I visited the South African embassy to pay respects to Nelson Mandela who died on December 5, 2013 in South Africa following a long illness.

South African Embassy - Washington, D.C.

This is the "Media Alert" posted to the original UMD "Newsdesk" site:

Nelson Mandela To Speak at University of Maryland

WHAT: On his first trip to the United States since the September 11 attacks, former South African president Nelson Mandela will deliver the annual SadatLecture for Peace, speaking to an estimated audience of 10 thousand at the University of Maryland. Because of space limitations and the wide interest in his remarks, attendance will be by invitation-only. Media reservations will be required. The event is sponsored by the University of Maryland Sadat Chair for Peace and Development. Mandela, 83, speaks with a special voice. "No other living political leader commands the respect throughout the world as Mandela," says Shibley Telhami, who holds the university's Sadat Chair. "His voice carries moral authority in almost all quarters, and in this time of national and international crisis all will be listening."WHEN: Wednesday, Nov. 14 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. All media must be in place by 6:30 p.m. Crews may begin setting up equipment at 4:30 p.m.WHERE: Cole Student Activities Building, University of Maryland, College Park.